The Ultimate Zenless Zone Zero Beginner’s Guide: Everything You Need to Know

New to New Eridu? Here’s how to get started with Zenless Zone Zero, build your first team, master its stylish combat, and make the most of your time in the Hollows.

Not every action RPG needs a medieval kingdom, a world-ending prophecy, or another chosen hero. Sometimes, all you need is a neon-lit city, a suspiciously dangerous day job, a crew of colorful characters, and a place where reality itself has started falling apart.

Welcome to Zenless Zone Zero, HoYoverse’s urban fantasy action RPG that blends fast-paced combat, anime-inspired storytelling, street culture, and a distinctly futuristic attitude.

Released in 2024, the game has continued to expand with new Agents, story chapters, and gameplay systems. But if you’re jumping in for the first time, the growing amount of content can make it difficult to know where to begin.

Don’t worry. You don’t need a perfect team, a spreadsheet full of character builds, or a degree in gacha economics to enjoy your first hours.

This beginner’s guide covers the essentials, from understanding the setting and combat to choosing your first Agents and spending your resources wisely.

1. What Is Zenless Zone Zero?

Developed by HoYoverse, Zenless Zone Zero takes place in a futuristic world threatened by supernatural disasters known as Hollows.

These strange zones distort reality and are home to dangerous creatures called Ethereals. Humanity has learned to survive alongside these threats, and one of the most important places left standing is New Eridu, a city that has turned the Hollow crisis into part of everyday life.

You play as a Proxy: someone who helps other people navigate the Hollows. Through your work, you become involved with different factions, unusual characters, and conflicts that gradually reveal more about the world.

The game’s identity comes from the contrast between its dangerous setting and its everyday urban life. One moment you’re investigating a mysterious incident; the next, you’re hanging around a video store, grabbing something to eat, or getting to know the city’s residents.

Think urban sci-fi meets supernatural action, with a heavy dose of anime style.

Is Zenless Zone Zero free to play?

Yes. Zenless Zone Zero is free to play, with optional purchases and a gacha system for obtaining Agents and equipment.

You can experience the main story without paying, although collecting specific limited characters can take time, planning, or money.

Beginner tip: Treat the game as an RPG you want to enjoy, not a collection you must complete. You don’t need every character to have a good time.

2. Understand the Basics Before You Start

There are three things worth knowing before you dive into the action.

• Agents: Your playable characters, each with their own fighting style, abilities, attribute, and role.
• Hollows: Dangerous zones that form the backdrop for many missions, exploration activities, and combat encounters.
• Proxies: The people who guide others through these hazardous spaces. Your role connects the game’s missions, characters, and story.

Most of your time will be spent progressing through the story, completing commissions, improving your Agents, and taking on increasingly challenging combat activities.

You don’t need to understand every system immediately. The game introduces many of its mechanics as you progress, so give yourself time to learn them naturally.

3. Master the Combat System

Combat is one of the biggest reasons to play Zenless Zone Zero. Battles are fast, flashy, and built around switching between characters at the right moment.

You can assemble a squad of up to three Agents and switch between them during combat. The goal isn’t simply to mash buttons until everything disappears. Learning when to dodge, when to switch, and when to unleash your strongest attacks makes a real difference.

Here are the essential mechanics

Basic attacks and Special Skills

Basic attacks are your foundation. Learn each character’s attack sequence and pay attention to any special actions that become available during a combo.

Special Skills give each Agent a more distinctive role. Some deal heavy damage, others help control enemies, and some provide support for the rest of the team.

When an enhanced EX Special Attack becomes available, it can be an excellent opportunity to deal additional damage or take advantage of an enemy’s vulnerability.

Dodge and Perfect Dodge

Dodging is essential, particularly against bosses and enemies with powerful attacks.

A well-timed dodge can trigger a Perfect Dodge, creating an opportunity to counterattack. Don’t wait until your character is nearly defeated to start paying attention to enemy animations.

Beginner tip: Spend your early battles learning enemy attack patterns. Surviving consistently is more valuable than trying to finish every encounter as quickly as possible.

Perfect Assist

Some enemy attacks give you a visual warning that allows you to switch characters at the right moment and trigger a Perfect Assist.

This defensive mechanic lets you respond to incoming attacks while bringing another Agent into the fight. Depending on the situation and character, it can also open opportunities for follow-up attacks.

Learn to recognize these visual cues. Once switching becomes part of your defensive strategy, combat starts to feel much more fluid.

Daze, Stun, and Chain Attacks

Hitting enemies builds up their Daze gauge. When it fills, the enemy becomes Stunned and temporarily more vulnerable.

This is your opportunity to unleash a coordinated assault.

Chain Attacks allow other Agents to join the offensive after the appropriate trigger, turning a brief opening into a much more damaging sequence.

A simple combat loop to remember is:

Build Daze → Stun the enemy → Trigger Chain Attacks → Deal as much damage as possible.

Master this sequence before worrying about advanced rotations or endgame optimization.

4. Learn the Different Agent Roles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not every character is designed to do the same job. Understanding an Agent’s Specialty helps you build a team that works together rather than three characters competing for attention.

Specialty	What it does	Beginner-friendly purpose
Attack	Deals direct damage	Your main damage dealer
Stun	Builds Daze and opens attack windows	Makes enemies vulnerable
Support	Provides buffs and other team benefits	Strengthens your squad
Defense	Improves protection and defensive options	Helps you survive and counter
Anomaly	Builds attribute effects and inflicts additional damage	Applies pressure through status effects

These roles are a starting point, not strict rules. Some Agents have more specialized mechanics, and the best team depends on their individual abilities and synergies.

What about attributes?

Agents also use different attributes, including Physical, Fire, Electric, Ice, Ether, and additional types introduced in later updates.

Attribute effects can inflict conditions such as Burn, Shock, or Freeze. Combining different attribute effects can also trigger Disorder, creating additional offensive opportunities.

You don’t need to memorize every interaction on day one. Start by learning your characters’ roles and abilities, then pay attention to enemy weaknesses as battles become more challenging.

5. How to Build Your First Team

Your first team doesn’t need to consist of three top-tier S-Rank Agents.

What matters most is learning how your characters complement each other. A damage dealer, a character who can help Stun enemies, and a Support or other synergistic Agent can provide a useful starting framework.

For example, Anby, Nicole, and Billy are familiar early-game characters who demonstrate different aspects of the combat system. They can help you learn the basics before you start experimenting with other Agents.

As your roster expands, look at three things:

Role synergy: Can your team create openings and take advantage of them?

Additional abilities: Some Agents activate extra passive effects when paired with characters that meet specific faction, attribute, or other requirements. Read the skill descriptions rather than assuming every combination works.

Playstyle: A theoretically powerful team isn’t necessarily the best team for you if you dislike how it plays.

Don’t spend all your early resources trying to build every character simultaneously. Choose a core squad, learn how it works, and expand when you have a reason to do so.

6. How to Make Your Agents Stronger

As you progress, you’ll unlock more ways to improve your characters. It can be tempting to upgrade everything immediately, but a little prioritization goes a long way.

Agent levels and promotions

Leveling your Agents increases their basic combat capabilities. As you reach progression milestones, you’ll need additional materials to promote them and continue advancing.

Focus on the characters you use most often instead of spreading your resources across the entire roster.

Skills

Upgrading skills improves the effectiveness of your Agents’ attacks and abilities.

Prioritize the skills that matter most to each character’s role. Your main damage dealer, for example, may benefit from a different upgrade order than a Support or Stun Agent.

W-Engines

W-Engines function as equipment that improves an Agent’s stats and can provide additional passive effects.

Whenever possible, use a W-Engine that complements the character’s Specialty and intended role. A higher rarity alone doesn’t guarantee that a piece of equipment is the best fit.

Drive Discs

Drive Discs provide additional stats and set bonuses. As you progress, they become an important part of optimizing a character’s performance.

Early on, focus on reasonable main stats and useful set effects. You can worry about perfect substats and detailed build optimization later.

The rule of thumb: Build your main team first. You can refine equipment, chase ideal stats, and experiment with advanced combinations once the fundamentals are in place.

7. Understand the Gacha System Before Spending

 

 

The gacha system is how you obtain many of the game’s Agents and specialized equipment. In Zenless Zone Zero, the process is tied to Signal Search and different types of channels.

The most important lesson for beginners is simple: your premium currency is a resource, so decide how you want to use it.

Here are a few practical habits:

• Check which limited-time Agent is available before spending.
• Read the channel details, including its rules and guarantees.
• Save your premium currency if you are waiting for a character you genuinely want.
• Avoid spending impulsively because a banner is about to disappear.
• Never assume a character is essential just because a tier list ranks them highly.

Free rewards, story progression, and events can help you expand your roster. However, rewards and banner availability change over time, so check the current in-game information rather than relying on an old guide.

If you choose to spend money, establish a budget beforehand. The game is designed around collecting characters, but your enjoyment doesn’t need to depend on how many you own.

8. What Should You Do First?

If you’re overwhelmed by all the available activities, use this simple progression plan.

Step 1: Follow the main story.

The story introduces the setting, characters, and essential mechanics. It’s the best starting point for a new Proxy.

Step 2: Complete the tutorials.

Pay attention to dodge timing, assists, Agent abilities, and combat mechanics. These lessons become more useful as encounters get harder.

Step 3: Build a small core team.

Choose a few Agents you enjoy and concentrate your early upgrades on them.

Step 4: Unlock additional activities naturally.

As you advance, explore the available commissions, resource stages, and other combat modes. These provide opportunities to collect materials and test your squad.

Step 5: Spend your daily resources thoughtfully.

Battery Charge is a limited resource used for many progression activities. Use it on materials or other rewards that support your current goals instead of letting it go to waste.

Step 6: Explore at your own pace.

Talk to characters, explore New Eridu, and engage with the game’s side activities. There’s more to the experience than winning battles.

9. Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

 

You can save yourself a lot of frustration by avoiding these common traps.

Trying to level everyone. Resources are limited. Concentrate on a core team before investing heavily in your entire roster.

Ignoring defensive mechanics. Dodges and Perfect Assists are part of the combat system, not optional extras.

Chasing every limited Agent. You don’t need to collect everyone. Save for characters you enjoy or that fit your team’s needs.

Overthinking equipment too early. Basic upgrades and sensible equipment choices are enough to get started. Perfect builds can wait.

Ignoring character descriptions. Passive skills, team conditions, and Specialties explain why certain combinations work better than others.

Treating tier lists as absolute truth. Rankings can be useful, but their relevance depends on team composition, available equipment, content, and player preference.

Rushing through everything. The game’s identity comes from its characters, setting, and presentation as much as its combat. Give yourself room to enjoy them.

10. Is Zenless Zone Zero Worth Playing in 2026?

If you enjoy stylish action games, anime-inspired character design, urban fantasy, and science fiction, Zenless Zone Zero is worth exploring.

Its appeal lies in the combination of fast combat and a world that feels different from the traditional fantasy settings found in many other RPGs. New Eridu has its own visual language, and the game’s cast brings together distinct personalities, factions, and fighting styles.

The amount of content can seem intimidating for newcomers, especially as the game continues to evolve. But that doesn’t mean you need to catch up with every update immediately.

Start with the story. Learn the combat. Find a few Agents you like. Build from there.

You don’t need the perfect roster to enjoy your first adventure in New Eridu.

And if the city teaches you anything, it’s that trouble has a habit of finding the people who know their way around it.

Rotten Usagi verdict: Zenless Zone Zero is an action RPG with a strong visual identity, accessible combat fundamentals, and plenty of room to experiment as you learn. The best way to start isn’t to chase the meta. It’s to find your rhythm, build a team you enjoy, and discover what makes New Eridu tick.

Last updated: October 2026. Character availability, gameplay systems, and progression details may change with future updates.